A local MSP is “hopeful” Perth might get UK Government funding for three Perth cultural heritage projects after all.
The UK Government is currently conducting a “value-for-money exercise” and may provide funding for the Perth projects, after having previously announced it was minded to withdraw the £5 million of Levelling Up funding.
Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray confirmed to MSPs this week no projects had been cancelled.
The Labour MP was quizzed during his appearance in front of the Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee on Wednesday, January 15.
Last year, both Perth and Kinross Council’s leader and chief executive expressed their disappointment after the UK Government announced it was minded to withdraw the £5 million capital investment funding pledged to Perth.
The funding – allocated by the previous Conservative UK Government’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – had been earmarked for three projects to support the regeneration of Perth city centre. The three projects were: creating a visitor attraction and office space at Lower City Mills, forming an exhibition and retail space at The Ironworks and a High Street outlet for micro producers within the former VisitScotland tourist information office.
The UK Government said it would consult with Perth prior to making a final decision.
And Mid Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser is now “hopeful” after having questioned the Secretary of State for Scotland on the matter when he appeared before a Scottish Parliament committee this week.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Mr Fraser said: “The city of Perth was due to get some funding for three quite important cultural heritage projects in the city. Has that money gone now or is there still some prospect of that coming back?”
Labour’s Ian Murray said: “As I understand it, no projects have been cancelled. Some discussions have been done in terms of some of the individual projects of value for money.
“These will be dealt and addressed in the spending review, In terms of the Perth ones, which you’ll be well aware of, there’s also the V&A project in Dundee which was paused so we’ve been very clear with partners that these haven’t been cancelled but there is a value-for-money exercise going on at the moment and there might have to be some reprofiling and redesign of projects to fit into some of that new criteria.”
Following the meeting Mr Fraser said: “I am hopeful that the UK Labour Government will decide that this Levelling Up funding can indeed proceed, as it seemed it was off the table following the election of the Labour Government in July. There had been talk in November that the funding had been cancelled, which led to much disappointment in many quarters.
“This is vital funding that will help make these community projects in Perth a reality. I was therefore pleased today to hear the Secretary of State for Scotland confirm that the funding has not in fact been cancelled and that all the Levelling Up funding projects may come back in the UK Labour Government’s upcoming spending review, when the matter will be discussed in further detail.”
The Conservative MSP added: “All three projects in Perth would potentially help breathe new life into the city centre and give the whole area a much-needed boost. They would benefit businesses and visitors.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “We are awaiting the outcome of the consultation by the UK Government that closed last year.”